I write to invite all interested stakeholders to attend the first meeting of the Senate Working Group on Off-Reservation Indian Gaming Agreements which will examine policy and procedural implications associated with agreements which permit Native American Tribes to conduct gaming on land acquired outside of the tribe’s traditional reservation or other trust lands. The first meeting of the working group will be held on Monday, November 4, 2013 at 1pm in Room 4203 of the State Capitol in Sacramento. All interested stakeholders are invited to attend this first meeting and provide comments regarding recommendations for improving the process for approving off-reservation gaming agreements. This first meeting will be critical in helping the working group identify the key issues that should be prioritized in the effort. The legislature this year passed a first of its kind off-reservation compact with AB 277 (Hall) the North Fork Rancheria Compact. While I ultimately voted for the compact, I became deeply concerned with the process associated with this vote. I believe a better process, with true oversight and review, would create better results for all parties involved. As I firmly support and respect a tribe’s need for self-sufficiency, I want to assure all stakeholders that the efforts of the working group will be focused on how we can have a better process for approving off-reservation agreements. This is a critical time for California to establish its own set of policies and recommendations to ensure that future off-reservation agreements are reviewed based on consistent criteria. If you are interested in participating in the working group’s first meeting, please contact Nidia Bautista in my office at [email protected] or (916) 651-4022.